Area 36 Blues and Music Festival swings in again

By Liv Stecker 

Summertime means music festival time, and as local bands beat the heat on stages across the Northwest, the good folks at Area 36 invite blues lovers young and old to come enjoy the 4th annual Area 36 Blues and Music Festival on July 14th-16th. Set in a grassy meadow south of Colville, the festival features great local food, amazing bands from around the northwest, camping and a car show - all jam packed into a fun filled weekend of family and friends. Proceeds from the event go to benefit the Shriners Children’s Hospital and the many great programs they offer. 

For the fourth year in a row, Area 36 Blues and Musical Festival offers free camping and music and while donations for the Shriners Hospital for Children. The weekend includes a poker run on Saturday, July 16th (for info contact Cody at 509-936-2369), a kids workshop on Friday afternoon from 11:00-1:00 put on by Chewelah High School students, raffles, food and craft vendors and a steady lineup of great entertainment that begins Friday afternoon. The weekend benefit is made possible in part with help from the Colville Vinson Fund and Hotel Fund, and the Jerry Maestas ‘Sponsor A Youth’ organization and access development. A

The traditional show n’ shine car show happens on Saturday, with an added motorcycle show with trophy for best appearing bike on Friday evening. The poker run takes off Saturday morning and tours through the local countryside, returning back to the benefit at Area 36. 

Performers include the Chewelah High School Jazz Band, Jesse Quandt, Midnight Run Rockin’ Blues, Spokane Dan and the Blues Blazers, Royce-Govedare High Rollers, Laffin' Bones, Hoodoo Udo, Atomic Jive, plus Six-Strings n' Pearls. On Friday, the Lady Shriners Clowns will be on site for face painting, and the Shriners will be selling ducks for their annual duck race. 

Food at the event will be available from The Bombing Blue Food Truck, Big Twin BBQ (providing pulled pork and smoked turkey legs) and Rios Tacos. The beer garden will open at 6:00 PM on Friday and noon on Saturday and there will be a variety of craft vendors to peruse, all while listening to great music that is thanks to a grant from the Colville Vinson Fund. 

Updated event information is available on their GoFundMe and Facebook page or call 684-4444.